The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944

The Blood of Free Men was one of the recommended reads from the last issue of the University of Michigan alumni magazine. I've never gone wrong with one of their suggestions before, the library had a copy, and the book is a succinct 250 pages, so I figured, why not? This is a book whose title tells you pretty much everything you need to know about what lies beneath the cover: it is an extremely detailed and informative, if sometimes dry, retelling of the days immediate before and after the liberation of the City of Lights. Michael Neiberg does an excellent job reconstructing the movements and motivations of those at the heart of the resistance uprising and ultimate Allied liberation.

This book was especially interesting to me because, despite the many French history classes I've taken over the years - and several hours spent at the Invalides military museum in Paris this past spring - I don't believe I had ever heard the story as Neiberg presents it, replete with iconic Parisian barricades (think Victor Hugo and Les Mis) and street fighting. Even at the Invalides museum, the majority of exhibits were devoted to that most memorable moment when Charles de Gaulle strode triumphantly down the Champs Elysees.

Neiberg also does a great job of presenting the primary actors, de Gaulle and Leclerc not least among them, from multi-faceted perspectives. De Gaulle is alternately maddening and inspiring, which I imagine is pretty true to life. Similarly, Neiberg fleshes out the American position so that the reader can really comprehend why they were not keen to liberate Paris initially. Ultimately, one or two questions do remain unresolved, such as the true motivations of the German commander, Choltitz, who was ordered to destroy Paris, but did not.

All of that said, The Blood of Free Men is probably best recommended for absolute history buffs, either of World War II or French (especially 3rd/4th republic) society and politics. Those looking for less academic reading on occupied Paris might prefer Death in the City of Light or Suite Française.